chile

1 of 2

noun

variant spelling of chili

1

a

or chili pepper : a hot pepper of any of a group of cultivars (Capsicum annuum annuum group longum) noted for their pungency

b

chiefly British chilli : a pepper whether hot or sweet

2

a

: a thick sauce of meat and chilies

liked to cover her spaghetti with red chili

b

: chili con carne

a bowl of chili

also : a similar dish made without beef

vegetarian chili

seafood chili

chile

2 of 2

pronunciation spelling

ˈchī(-ə)l 

—used for "child" chiefly in spoken African American English especially of the southern U.S. and in written representations of such speech

… sources close to the situation have said that the "Love on the Brain" singer is remaining in Barbados while awaiting the birth of her first chile, as Newsweek also notes.

—Shanelle Genai

—often used as an affectionate or friendly way of addressing someone

"Chile, no one looks great this early in the morning," [Debbie] Allen [actress] replied with a chuckle, thanking her. …

—Tonja Renée Stidhum

The couple shared the amazing news on Instagram, and chile … that ring is everything! …

—Jasmine Grant

[Nikole] Hannah-Jones [investigative journalist] decided the best response would be to quote King accurately by reading excerpts of his speeches without mentioning explicitly that they were his words. "And, whew, chile, it was AMAZING," she said.

—David Moye

Examples of chile in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Many versions burn with green chile, but this one is as tame as the mildest tomato salsa. —Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2025

The Smoky Mug: Get their breakfast sandwich, which comes with cheese and hatch green chiles, with chorizo on an English muffin. —Sabrina Moreno, Axios, 7 Feb. 2025

Get the recipe > Chile con Queso With both serrano chiles and jalapeños, the dip has a bright spiciness that cuts through the richness of two cheeses (the more cheeses the better, in our opinion). —Saveur Editors, Saveur, 5 Feb. 2025

Featured Recipe Creamy Butternut Squash and Coconut Noodle Soup View Recipe → Just as vivid, but with a crunchy texture and green chile heat, Ali Slagle’s hoisin-peanut shrimp and slaw is inspired by Vietnamese fresh spring rolls (a.k.a. summer rolls) with peanut sauce. —Melissa Clark, New York Times, 20 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Pronunciation Spelling

1839, in the meaning defined above

Geographical Definition

Chile

geographical name

Chi·​le ˈchi-lē 

ˈchē-(ˌ)lā

long, narrow country of southwestern South America between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific; a republic whose capital is Santiago and whose legislative capital is Valparaíso area 291,933 square miles (756,102 square kilometers), population 17,925,000

Chilean

ˈchi-lē-ən 

chə-ˈlā-ən

adjective or noun